A COMMUNITY awareness and education campaign to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in Nelson Mandela Bay was rolled out in December by the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber, in partnership with GIZ’s Natural Resources Stewardship Programme (NatuReS), and supported by the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality.
During the week-long programme, workshops were conducted in various locations, including in KwaNobuhle, Zwide and KwaZakhele.
The first workshop was held in Motherwell, where delegates from surrounding areas were trained to educate and encourage fellow residents to adhere to COVID-19 regulations.
“The spike in active cases has severely impacted on business operations in the metro, as people who have tested positive, been exposed to positive people or are showing symptoms of COVID-19 are required to stay away from work during their mandatory self-quarantine or self-isolation periods,” said Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber CEO, Nomkhita Mona, in a statement.
Surveys have shown that people are suffering from lockdown fatigue, which has made them drop their guard or disobey observing the stipulated precautionary measures of wearing masks in public, practising social distancing and sanitisation or washing their hands.
The campaign was aimed at creating awareness about the dangers of the second wave of infections, communicating messages that will influence behavioural change, educating employees and residents about remaining safe during the COVID-19 outbreak and increasing awareness by educating all role players of everything they need to know and the roles they need to play.
It placed particular focus on wearing a mask in public places, washing hands regularly with soap or sanitiser, maintaining social distancing and avoiding close contact with people who are sick.
“Businesses in the metro and countrywide cannot afford another hard lockdown experienced at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The economy needs businesses to continue operating albeit under an abnormal environment to support the government’s economic recovery plan,” Mona said.
“The change that is mostly needed at this moment to halt the rising infection rate, is a change in people’s behaviour. It is therefore important that private and public sectors join hands in creating public awareness about the impact of the recent spike in COVID-19 cases on businesses, jobs and the economy of the NMB Metro.”
Issued by: NMB Business Chamber
